New Delhi/Beijing: China has confirmed reaching an agreement with India to end the over four-year-long military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The announcement, made on Tuesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian, follows India’s Monday declaration of a major breakthrough in resolving the border dispute.
“Over a recent period, China and India have maintained close communication through diplomatic and military channels regarding the China-India border,” Lin said during a media briefing. He added that the two sides have reached a resolution on “relevant matters,” without providing further details.
When pressed for specifics, Lin declined to elaborate, reiterating: “I’ve answered that question and have nothing more to add.” Notably, there was no immediate reaction from the Chinese government on Monday, nor did the state-run media cover India’s announcement.
The Chinese confirmation comes as President Xi Jinping heads to Russia for the BRICS summit in Kazan. Lin remained non-committal on the possibility of a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi, stating that China would release timely information if such an event occurred.
Relations between the two Asian giants deteriorated sharply after a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which marked the most serious military conflict between the two nations in decades. The standoff, which began with the movement of Chinese troops along the LAC, prompted a strong military response from India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed on Monday that Indian and Chinese soldiers would resume pre-standoff patrolling in the region, signalling the end of the military face-off. The agreement was reached after weeks of negotiations, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, noting that the disengagement process had been completed in key areas such as Galwan Valley, Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Gogra.
The deal is expected to facilitate patrolling in Depsang and Demchok, two regions that had remained contentious, bringing a resolution to the lingering border issues and potentially easing tensions between the two countries.